Player-piano.



T. SWENSEN. PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913. I

Patented July 7, 1911 E 2, [Hi 5 21 l s Q I INVENTOR @2222 MW 2 r FW4' ga 0% THOMAS SWENSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TILAYER-PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July *7, 1914.

Application filed May 20, 1913. Serial N 0. 768,707.

To all 'whomit may concern:

' Be it known that I, THOMAS SwnNsnN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Player-Pianos, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to player pianos and relates more particularly to the construction and method of mounting the pedals of such a piano whereby the bellows employed in operating the piano is actuated.

The invention is directed to the provision of an improved construction and arrangement of the parts of the pedal mechanism whereby this mechanism may be quickly and conveniently folded back into the casing of the piano when the piano is not in use or when it is desired to operate the piano manually instead of automatically.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an operating lever is mounted upon the under side of the key-bed of the piano and by operating this lever, the pedal mechanism of the piano may be turned about a pivot so as to carry it from its operative position to a position in which it lies wholly within the casing of the piano and the opening in the casing through which the parts are moved is closed by a suitably finished board of the size of the opening in the lower panel of the casing provided for the pedal mechanism. In this way, the pedal mechanism is carried out of the way of a person operating the piano manually, it is concealed and the lower portion of the piano is of practically the same appearance as a piano not provided with automatic mechanism. When the pedal mechanism is moved to operative position, it places a spring under tension so that when the operating handle is moved in the appropriate direction, this spring will cause the pedal mechanism to move to the outer or operative position. Preferably a supplemental spring is employed for assisting in the movement of the pedal mechanism from operative to inoperative position and for easing the reverse movement of that mechanism.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section through the lower portion of a player piano showing the pedal mechanism in operative position,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pedal mechanism in inoperative position, Fig. 3 is a front view of the lower portion of the piano broken away in part and Fig. l is a detail view of the operating lever.

Referring to these drawings, 5 indicates the key-bed of a player piano having the keys 6 mounted thereon. The piano casing is of the usual construction including the lower panel 8 toe-rail 7 and bottom extending back from the toe-rail. lVithin the casing of the piano are two bellows 9, each having a movable wall 10. These movable walls 10 of the bellows 9 are operated back and forth by means of pedals 11, each of which pedals is connected to the corresponding wall 10 by a connecting rod 12. Each pedal 11 is pivotally mounted at 13 upon a standard 14 and the two standards 1& are secured upon a board 15. This board is pivotally connected at 16 to the frame of the piano. The lower panel 8 of the piano has a rectangular opening cut therein through which pass the connections from the pedals 11 to the bellows and the board 15 is of the same size as this opening. When the board 15 is in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, it is supported with its forward edge slightly above the floor by means of a stud 17. From this position the board 15 may be turned to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 and in this position it completely closes the opening in the lower panel 8. Each of the connecting rods 12 is connected at its inner end to the edge of the movable wall of one of the two feeders or bellows. This construction is such that the panels 11 to which the rods 12 are connected are displaced from the bellows 9. As shown in Fig. .3, the two pedals 11 lie opposite the space between the two bellows. By reason of this, when the board 15 is turned about its pivot from the Fig. 1 to the Fig. 2 position, the pedals 11 and rods 12 are carried within the casing of the piano and in the space between the two bellows where they are disposed in the positions in which they are illustrated in Fig. 2.

As the board 15, pedals 11 and rods 12 move to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2, one of the rods 12 engages a leafspring 18 mounted upon the bottom of the casing of the piano and projecting upwardly therefrom. If desired, two of these springs 18 may be employed, one coacting with each rod 12. As the rods 12 move into the inoperative position, one of them engages the spring 18 and presses the latter back so as to place it under tension. Therefore, the pedal mechanism of the piano, when in the inoperative position, is under tension tending to force it outward to the operative position.

The pedal mechanism is moved into the inoperative position by means of an operating lever 19 mounted adjacent to the keyboard of the piano, preferably upon the under side of the key-bed. This lever is shown as extending through an opening in the panel 8 and pivotally mounted at 20. Its inner end is connected to a flexible cord or cable 21 which extends over a pulley 22, then downwardly over a pulley 23 and then forwardly to the pedal mechanism. Preferably the end of the cord 21 is connected to the pedal mechanism at the pivotal connection of the pedals to the board 15. The forward end of the lever 19 coacts with a bracket 2 1 secured to the under side of the key-bed 5 and provided with projections 25 for limiting the throw of the lever 19 in either direction. Also retaining means are provided for locking the lever in the position corresponding to the inoperative position of the pedal mechanism. This locking means is shown at 26. It is supported upon a flat spring 27 secured to the under side of the key-bed so that it may be readily depressed to release the lever 19. \Vhen the lever is so released, the spring 18 acts upon the corresponding rod 12 to force the pedal mechanism outwardly from the opening in the panel 8 to the operative position of the mechanism.

The movement of the pedal mechanism into operative position is eased by a fiat' spring 28 which is put under tension as the pedal mechanism nears its operative position. This spring therefore serves to prevent jarring of the parts by the stud 17 striking sharply upon the floor and permits of using a spring 18 which, when the pedal mechanism is in inoperative position, is under substantial tension. The spring 28 also serves a further function in that it aids materially in moving the pedal mechanism from its operative position. The tension of this spring, when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, is notsuflicient to raise the pedal mechanism, but it is almost suflicient and therefore when it is desired to move the pedal mechanism to the inoperative position, a comparatively small amount of power need be applied to the operating device 19. The spring 28 is secured to a metallic supporting-member 29 which. is pivotally mounted upon a stud 30 suitably supported on the bottom of the piano casing. The outer end of spring 28 is carried under the pivotal connection of the pedals to the standards 14.

1 The operation of the mechanism as thus constructed will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the construction. As the parts are shown in Fig. 2, the pedal mechanism is within the casing of the piano and concealed from view and the opening in the casing provided for the passage of the pedal mechanism is completely closed by the board 15. To provide for operating the piano automatically, the operator releases the lever 19 from the retaining device 26 whereupon spring 18 forces the pedal mechanism outwardly to the operative position shown in Fig. 1. The movement of the mechanism is effected rapidly, but it comes to rest in the operative position without jar by reason of the action of spring 28. To restore the parts to inoperative position again, the handle 19 is manipulated, but no great pressure upon this handle is required as the spring 28 lifts the major portion of the weight of the pedal mechanism.

I have illustrated and described herein what I consider the best embodiment of my invention, but it must be understood that this construction may be modified in many respects while retaining the features of my invention. Particularly, a weight may be employed instead of a spring in operating the pedal mechanism, and I wish it understood that I consider such a weight an equivalent of the spring shown and described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a player piano, a key-bed, keys thereon, a lower panel having an opening therein, a board pivotally mounted at the lower edge of said opening, two pedals pivotally mounted on said board, two bellows, connecting rods connecting the pedals to said bellows, a spring connected to said board for turning the same to the position for closing said opening, an operating device mounted on the key-bed, a flexible connection from the operating device to said board, and a latch for the operating device, substantially as set forth.

2. In a player piano, a casing having an opening therein above the toe-rail thereof, a board pivotally mounted at one edge thereof upon the toe-rail, two pedals pivotally mounted on said board near its opposite edge, two bellows within the casing, a connecting rod connecting each pedal to a bellows, a spring connected to said board for turning the same to a position for closing said opening, and a flat spring mounted on the bottom of the casing and projecting upwardly therefrom in position to be engaged by the pedal mechanism when the latter is moved by said first-named spring, substantially as set forth.

3. In a player piano, a casing having an opening therein above the toe-rail thereof, a board pivotally mounted at one edge thereof on the toe-rail, a pivot shaft mounted on said board near its opposite edge, two pedals pivotally mounted on said shaft, two bellows, a connecting rod connecting each pedal to a bellows, a fiat spring having one end mounted within the casing and having the other end in engagement with said pivot shaft, a flat spring mounted on the bottom of the casing and projecting upwardly therefrom in position to be engaged by one of said connectin rods when said board is moved to close said opening, and operating devices for turning said board on its pivot, substantially as set forth.

4. In a player piano, a key-bed, keys thereon, a casing including a lower panel having an opening therein, a board pivotally mounted at the lower edge of said opening, two pedals pivotally mounted on said board, two bellows, connecting rods connecting the pedals to said bellows, a flat spring having one end mounted within the casing of the piano and the other end connected to said board for turning the board to the position for closing said opening, a

- flat spring mounted on the bottom of the eas- THOMAS SWENSEN.

Witnesses ANTHON OLSEN, MORRIS THOMPSON.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

' Washington, D. O.

ion in Letters Patent No. 1,102,611.

Correct It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,102,611, granted July 7, 1914.,

upon the application of Thomas Swensen, of New York, N. Y., for an improve t in Player-Pianos, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 94, for the word panels read pedals; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this th day of August, A. D., 1914.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patent! ion in Letters Patent No. 1,102,611.

Correct It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,102,611, granted July 7 1914-,

upon the application of Thomas Swensen, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Player-Pianos, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 94, for the word panels read pedals,- and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of August, A. D., 1914.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patentn 

